Tubing bleeder for oil-well pumps



Nov. 19, 1929. w. H. HAZLETT TUBING BLEEDER FOR OIL WELL PUMPS RT 1 H z. E am 6 6 w x y 4 5 n 2 2 .1 M V r u S N. i; n 1H r H m T L 2; T w Z M 5 5 v I Z .d aT fifi 65% ifiwmwww m i M Nov. 19, 1929. w. H.'HAZLETT TUBING BLEEDER FOR OIL WELL PUMPS Filed Dec. 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flTTORA/EK Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITE sraras meta PATENT craz es WALTER HA ZPETT, OELONG BEACH, CAIJIORNIA TUBING BLEEDER FOR OIL-WEED PUMPS -Lpp1ication filed December 10, 1927. Serial No. 239,105.

This invention relates to devices for "bleeding or draining pump tubing in oil wells prior to pulling the pump or-the' tubing, the general object of the invention being to avoid 5 slopping oil-over the derrick floor during the pulling operation.

In practice, oil stands in the tubing above the standing valve and pump not only during pumping, but also following pumping-an 1g unless some means --is provided for draining form, where the standing valve is pulled.

with the plunger, it is impossible to test the .tubing for leaks if the plunger-is pu'lled.-

To accomplish this test it is necessar to pull a so-called stripping job whichas serious objections. In another form, where the pulling of the standing valve is optionalwith the pulling of the plunger, it is often very-difficult to fish the valve and a further disadvantageis' that the valve becomes disconnected while being pulled out of the tubing. Where devices have been employed to drain tubing with operating mechanism outside the tubing many objections are present, for'example theimpossibility of placing the drain device at the lower end of the tubingon account of liners being used in the casing.

Specific objects of the invention are to provide a structure which will avoid these vasimple in construction, easy to operate and thoroughly eflicient, and whereby the tubing may be drained qplickly and without operating difficulties. -ore particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a tubing bleeder which may be located entirely within the tubing and operated from within the tubing, and one which will. not in any way affeet or depend uponthe standing valve, it is also an object of the invention to provide a invention to provide 'a tubing bleeder that will either drain the tubing or allow the tubdrai'n fitting set in the tubing, a puncturable element or seal carriedby said fitting, and -meansfor puncturing said .elementwhen derious objections, which will be comparatively as may be elsewhere herein presented.

tubing bleeder that will not contain a movable -valve. which is subject to leaking under the high pressures encountered in the position of a tubing bleeder. It is a further object of the ingto be filled with fluid and tested as desired.

:Briefly stated the invention comprises a for leaks sired to permit escape of liquid standing in the/tubing. Convemently, the sucker rod of the pump is employed to actuate the punctu rmg means. -In a preferred form,'the pun turable element is a ring sol ered in lace o -cover'a plurality of discharg channe s leadingto the exterior of the tubing, and the pun turlng means is a cutting prong secured to a rotary nut or sleeve threaded into a body member which constitutes a portionof the drainconnection. A pro'ection on the sleeve isadapted to be engaged y a projecting part carried bythe sucker rod so that when the sucker rod is properly positioned and rotated, the threaded mountmg of the sleeve causes .the cutting prong to be advanced into engagement with thepuncturable rin and to out anannular slit therein through w ich the oil passes to said discharge channels. Preferably, the projection on thesleeve is a spring dog or the like, and above the projecting part on the sucker rod a tell-tale is provided which enga es with said dog as the sucker rod is lifte and which by reason of the increase. in strain required to force the dog aside and retain it signifies to an experienced operator the osition of the tell-tale so that he can readily etermine the additional amount of movement required to bring the sucker rod projection into engagement with the dog prepar'atory to rotating the cutter. The'invention also resides in such other features of novelty 95 In the accompanying drawings wherein av preferred form of construction is disclosed by way of illustration of the invention;

' Fig. 1, is a vertical section showing an oil well equipped with present improvements; 10o

Fig. 2, is a similar view on an enlarged -s cale' showing the parts in position ready to move the cutter into puncturing-position;

- Fig. 3, is a corresponding view showing the cutterin operation;

Fig. 4, is an enlarged sectional detail of the drainage connection B;

Fig. 5', is a similar fragmentary view showing the cutting prong in operation;

Figs. 6 and 7, are cross sections taken on the lines 66 and 77, respectively, of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8, is an elevation of the sucker rod connection or sub which is provided .with projecting ribs to rotate the cutter-carrying sleeve;

Fig. 9, is an end view thereof and Fig. 10, is an elevational detail of the telltale connection or sub.

The usual well casing 10 is shown as having the casing head 12 which carries stulling box 14 for the polish rod 15 which is operated by a walking beam or other actuating means and passes down into the pump tubing 16 where it joins with sucker rod 18 which carries on its lower end the pump plunger 20 cooperating with a permanent standing valve 22 on the lower end of the tubin A comparatively short .distance above the standing valve 22, the tubing 16 is provided with the drain connection or tubing bleeder B of the present invention with which there cooperates a tell-tale sub or connection T carried by the sucker rod 18 which also carries an operating connection or sub S which will be" termed the sucker rod sub or connection this connection S being provided to operate the cutting prong presently to be described.

The'tell-tale T is so located with respect to the fitting B as normally to be positioned some distance therebelow and not to reach the same 'where the middle portion of the drain fitting 25 is shown as having an annual groove 30 1 which communicates with the upper portions of a plurality ofchannels 32 drilled in the wall. of the fitting parallel with its axis, said oove 30 being positioned above the upper end of body 26 so as to discharge exteriorly' of the connection. The' upper ends of the ,channels 32 are-closed with plugs 34 while the lower ends thereof communicate with a circular passage 35, the lower side of said passage being normally closed by a punctura- .ward movement. -28 a stud42 is secured, this stud having ahead .tained within the body 26 and has its lower end threaded thcreinto as indicated at 40, left hand threads preferably being provided, while a shoulder 4t is provided to limit down- In the upper end of sleeve 44 which not only carries an upwardly directed cutting prong 45 but also serves the additional double function ot'properly positioning the cutter on the upper edge of the sleeve 28 and of limiting the upper movement of said sleeve so as to insure a space between the sleeve and the fitting 25 for How of liquid to the channels 82 alter the ring 36 has been cut. In order that sleeve 28 may be rotated it is provided with slots -l6 for the reception of heads or projections 4-8 formed on the endsof spring dogs 50 which are secured by means of set screws 52 to the wall of an annular groove 54 formed in said sleeve 28. Said heads or projections 48 normally project into the main channel represented by the interior of the tubing and the connection B, where they lie in the path of the tell-tale T and the sucker rod sub S when it is desired to withdraw the same.

The tell-talc T is composed of a shank 55 of reduced diameter and two heads 56 which are threaded to receive respectively the upper end of the sucker rod sub S and the lower end of the sucker rod '18 thereabove, the edges of both heads being beveled at 58 to act as wedges or guides to engage and force the heads 48 of dogs out. of their path.

The sucker rod sub S has two elongated plates 60 welded thereto to provide projecting ribs as indicated in Fig. 9, these ribs being dc signed to engage with the heads 48 of dogs 50 to rotate the cutter-carrying sleeve 28 as best represented in Fig. 7. In order to insure against any interfering engagement, the corners of the plates 60 are beveled off at 62.

In using the present structure, the tubing 16 may be lowered with the standing valve 22 permanently in place and with the drainage connection B also, in place. The device when the heads or projections 48 reach the,

reduced zone 55 and by a second increase in sweep-10 strain when the lower head 56 of the telltale engages said projections. The operator then continues to withdraw the parts a distance suiiicient to insure engagement of the plates 60 with the heads of the dogs 50 as seen in Fig. 7. Elevation is then stopped and the sucker rod 18put in rotation to the right with the result that the left hand threads 40 cause the sleeve 28 to move upward from the position of Figs. 2 and 4 into the position of Figs. 3 and 5 whereupon the cutting prong 45 is forced through the sealing ring 36 and by reason of the rotation of the sleeve 28 is caused to make a circular incision through which the oil in the upper portion of the tubing-Will flow to the discharge channels 32 and escape by way of annular groove 30.

The oil having been drained out through the channels 32, the parts may be withdrawn without slopping up the derrick floor or interfering'with packers or other parts.

It is .to be understoodthat the foregoing is merely illustrative of the broad invention, since many variations thereof may be made within thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tubing bleeder, Y a drain fitting I adapted to be placed on a tubing and having a discharge opening, a puncturable member carried by said fitting to closesaid opening, and means to puncture said member.

2. In a tubing bleeder, a drain fitting having discharge channels and adapted to be placed on the tubing, a puncturable member carried by said fitting and normally closing said channels, a rotary cutter to puncture and out said member, and means to rotate said cutter.

3. In a tubing bleeder, a drain fitting having a discharge channel and adapted to be mounted on'the tubing, a seal for saidchannel on the fitting adapted to be cut for discharge to said channel, means to out said seal, and means to actuate said cutting means.

4. In combination, a pump tubing, a drain connection thereon and having a discharge passage, a puncturable seal in said connection to cover said passage, and means within the connection to puncture said seal.

5. In combination, a pump tubing, a drain connection on said tubing and having a dis-. charge passage, a seal for said passage, means within said connection to rupture said seal, a pump rod depending through said connection, and means on said rod to actuate said seal-rupturing means. v

6. In combination, a pump tubing, a bleeder fitting on said tubing and having a discharge passage, a'seal for said passage, rotary means within said fitting to break said sea l, a pump rod passing through the tubing, and means on said rod to engage and actuate said rotary means.

7. In combination, a} pump tubing, a

bleeder connection on said tubing and having a discharge passage, 9. puncturable ring on said connection to seal said passage, a rotary member within said connection, a cutter on said member to rupture said ring, and means to actuate said rotary member.

" 8. In combination, a pump tubing, a bleeder connection thereon and having a bleeding passage, a rupturable seal for said passage, a rotary member Within said connection, a cutting prong on said member, dogs projecting from said member, a pump rod passing through said connection, and means on said rod to engage said dogs to rotate said member and rupture said seal.

9. In combination, a pump tubing, a

- bleeder connection thereon and having a discharge passage, a seal for said passage, a member rotatably threaded into and positioned within said connection, means on said rotary member to rupture said seal, a pump rod passing through said connection and having means to rotate said member, whereby said rotar member is advanced axiallv during rotati on by reason of said threads to feed said rupturing means into rupturing engagement with said seal. 1

10. In combination, a pump tubing, a bleeder connection mounted on said tubing and having a discharge passage, a seal for said passage, rotary means to break said seal, spring dogs on.said rotary means, a pump rod passing through said connection, and means on said rod to engage said dogs to rotate said means.

-.11. In combination, a pump tubing, a bleeder connection mounted on said tubing and having a discharge passage, a seal for said passage, rotary means to break said seal, spring dogs on said rotary means, a pump rod passing through said connection, means on said rod to engage said dogs to rotate said means, and a tell-tale also on said rod in advance of the rotary meansv to engage said dogs and indicate the position of the 12. In combination, pump tubing for deep wells, a bleeder connection on said tubing pump rod when the same is being withdrawn.

and having a dischargepassage, a seal for said passage, a rotary member within said connection, means on said member to break said,sea1 when the member is rotated, dogs I within said member, and a sucker'rod passing through said member and having spaced means to engage said dogs and rotate said member upon rotation of the rod.

13. In combination, pump tubin for deep wells, a bleeder connection on said tubing and having a discharge passage, a seal for said passage, a rotary member within said connection, means on said member to break said seal where the member is rotated, dogs within said member, a sucker rod passing through said member and having spaced means' to engage said dogs and rotate said member the position of -the sucker upon rotation of the rod, and a tell-tale also on said rod in advance of said spaced means and adapted to engage said dogs to indicate rod when being withdrawn.

14. In a tubing bleeder, a drain fitting adapted to be placed on and form a portion of a tubing and having an opening connecting the interior with the exterior of said fitting, a puncturable member carried by said fitting and normally closing said opening, and means to puncture said member.

In testimony whereof I afiix m signature.

WALTER H. H LETT. 

